240 Trapped For Hours In St. Louis Arch

Around 240 people were trapped inside the St. Louis Gateway Arch after an apparent power outage.

Crews have been able to rescue all of the people that were trapped in the Arch elevators for two and a half hours Saturday evening, reports CBS Station KMOV.

Fire Department spokesman Steve Simpson told a local television station that rescue crews treated two people. One was given oxygen and the other was diabetic. He didn't elaborate on their treatment.

"Everybody else seemed to be in good spirits, glad and relieved to be coming down," he said.

The people became trapped when trams on both legs of the arch stalled. Some people also were stranded at the top of the 630-feet high monument of stainless steel, where they were watching a fireworks show, broadcasters reported.

Around 11:30 p.m., light could be seen again through windows at the top of the arch. And a man trapped inside used his cell phone to call KSDK television and report that the trams were working again and people were being taken to the bottom.

Anxious relatives stood outside the popular tourist attraction as rescuers worked inside. Dozens of emergency vehicles surrounded the arch.

Firefighters and police did not immediately return calls from The Associated Press seeking comment. Calls to the Gateway Arch also were not immediately returned.

[nivramcireel]

I remember taking a ride up in the mid/late 80's. Indeed your inside a capsule, a larger version of a Tuna fish can. I thought the seating was to each side with your back to the curve of the capsule, but the below links and picture suggest that seating was "U" shaped facing the door. There are no windows as I recall. You can be claustrophobic if you are incline. The capsule rotate as you journey up to counter the fact that the tram starts off vertical at the bottom and curves over to the Horizontal at the top.
I can't remember if all the capsules are loaded in a vertical form in the bottom or horizontal?

http://www.gatewayarch.com/Arch/info/arch.top.aspx

[michellem99-2009]

That is right that was a sight as well and was hoping some one broght that up. Now that is some history. I was not able to see a lot of it as they did not allow me to see it. I know things by using my hands to see so I was told hands off. I am legally blind. So my fully sight friend had to tell me what was there.That is not the same as hands on seeing. It is sad that us who can't see the items are robbed of that xp.

[bobby16781]

I went up in the arch once, it was getting dark. I was enjoying the view. Then it started to storm. and while I was looking out the port hole. It was struck by lightning. W O W !

[mo005]

Zagnorch says
...I didn't even know the inside of the Arch was accessible to tourists!
Or to anyone else for that matter, save for maintenance crews.

You should see whats below, the museum is worth the trip. I didnt want to leave once I got inside. In fact I forgot all about the arch.

[bobnjersey]

[Dozens of emergency vehicles surrounded the arch. ]

this is a ancient 'arch' strategy.

[michellem99-2009]

I have been there with my room mate and we looked out the windows,we lived in MO at the time St Charles in 93. The lift cars are small about 4 to 6 each.Bi State Transit runs the cars in the Arch. He saw the river when we lived there cut a new path and that river went thru St Charles and took out buildings as it cut a new path. I enjoyed the Arch and the building of it is interesting as well.
I have to use lifts and we have been stuck in one in Spokane WA and it can be scarey.A girl got her jacket caught in the doors. We been lucky in Seattle.

[zagnorch]

Wow...

...I didn't even know the inside of the Arch was accessible to tourists!

Or to anyone else for that matter, save for maintenance crews.

I gotta get out more...

[zootallures2]

It takes real courage just to get in anything above ground that is also a land mark while Bush is president.

[mo005]

I didn't think there were that many cars on that thing. I guess if I were to be traped up there I would hope to be at the window. Otherwise it would be a little tight feeling, those little cars are small.

[ram849]

Where's the emergency backup? You would think after all these years in service that the arch above all things would have a generator installed.